The 2024-25 season was nothing short of historic for the Stifel U.S. Freestyle Ski Team. 

This season featured three domestic World Cups for the first time since 1982, growing visibility and engagement in the sport across the board. Between three continents, 11 World Cups and 24 events, the athletes pushed themselves to the limit to achieve some of the best days and results in U.S. freestyle history. 

The season began in Ruka, Finland, for a moguls World Cup. This was the first time in recent history that aerials didn’t join moguls in Ruka, pushing the start of their season back until January. The moguls athletes started the season strong with a podium from Olivia Giaccio and a fifth-place finish for Cole McDonald. Giaccio would go on to earn five more podium finishes throughout the season, including a moguls win in Bakuriani, Georgia. Giaccio continued to push the limits with her air package this season, continuously earning the top air scores on the women’s side. An unfortunate injury in Beidahu took her out for the final stops of the season, but she is putting in the work to be better than ever come next season.

Jaelin Kauf, the fastest woman on the World Cup circuit, rebounded from a rocky start to the season to make history time and time again throughout the year. In Bakuriani, Georgia, mid-December, Kauf landed on her first podium of the season, taking third place in moguls. This podium was the first of a streak that Kauf continued throughout the season, earning 14 consecutive podiums, never finishing lower than third again this season. Eight of those 14 podiums were wins, almost doubling her career wins in one year. Her dominance and determination led her to win all three FIS Freestyle Crystal Globes: moguls, dual moguls and overall, becoming the first American to win a freestyle globe since 2015. On top of her World Cup success, Kauf also had a great showing at the 2025 FIS Freestyle World Championships in St. Moritz, Switzerland, earning the title of 2025 dual moguls world champion. 

For the first time since 2019, the U.S. had two moguls athletes on a World Championships podium, with Tess Johnson earning the silver medal in dual moguls alongside Kauf. Despite being a team veteran with so many past successes, Johnson had a career-defining year. She earned eight super finals appearances, including three podiums and her first-ever moguls World Cup win. Johnson finished the season ranked third overall in the World, cementing the best season of her career. 

Nick Page led the U.S. men with two World Cup podium appearances this season, including his first-ever podium on home snow. His quiet poise and strive for perfection helped him finish the season ranked fifth overall, and third in moguls - the first time a U.S. man has earned a season podium spot since Patrick Deneen in 2014. Page finished the season with his best World Championships performance, finishing fourth in moguls in St. Moritz. 

The veterans were joined by an impressive group of up-and-comers. Charlie Mickel quickly made his presence known, earning his first super finals runs, top-five finishes, and podium on the World Cup circuit. Mickel wrapped up the World Cup season by securing his first career podium in Livigno, Italy, during the 2026 Olympic Winter Games test event. His impressive results throughout the year earned him a position on the 2025 World Championships team, where he finished seventh in dual moguls, a promising result leading into an Olympic season. Asher Michel had a standout season, taking on the World Cup full-time for the first time. He earned multiple new career-best finishes, including eighth and 10th place finishes in Bakuriani. 

Kylie Kariotis is another name to remember. She was one of the athletes who earned domestic World Cup starts through the U.S. Selections event at the beginning of the season, gaining the ability to start in Waterville and Deer Valley. Due to open World Cup starts, Kariotis stayed on the circuit, and in her first international World Cup event, she earned her first career top 10 finish in Val St. Come, Canada. Kariotis earned multiple more top 10 finishes, including a fourth-place result in Beidahu, China, barely missing out on the podium. Her breakthrough performances landed her a spot on the World Championships team roster, and she did not disappoint. On duals day, she finished fourth place, just missing out on an American podium sweep alongside Kauf and Johnson. Her results speak for themselves, and her impact on the international scene this season was immense. 

The NorAm tour was dominated by Dylan Marcellini, earning podium finishes in five of the seven available starts, including three wins. Marcellini’s command of the field was just what he needed to take home the moguls, dual moguls and overall NorAm titles, officially securing himself a World Cup start for next season. 

The U.S. also found success on the junior international circuit, including four medals at Junior World Championships in Almaty, Kazakhstan. Reese Chapdelaine and Jiah Cohen led the way for the team, taking the gold medal in the dual moguls team event. Chapdelaine also earned a silver medal in dual moguls. Abby McLarnon joined Chapdelaine on the duals podium finishing third, while Anabel Ayad and Chase Littlefield took bronze in dual moguls team. These results set the U.S. up for success, taking home the Marc Hodler Trophy at the end of the season, awarded to the nation with the best cumulative results across all FIS Junior World Championship freestyle events.

The moguls athletes took on the challenge of an elongated season in stride and had one of the most successful seasons to date. Between 54 super finals appearances, 26 podiums, 10 wins, three Crystal Globes, and two Nations Cups, this team is setting up perfectly heading into one of the biggest seasons of many of the athletes’ careers. 

The U.S. aerials athletes started their World Cup season in Lake Placid, New York for the first time since 2019. The event drew thousands of fans out into the cold to watch the best in the world compete. Karenna Elliott led the way for the U.S., finishing sixth in the individual event, her second individual super finals appearance. The following week, Elliott earned her second career podium in Lac-Beauport, Canada. This season was instrumental for the young athlete as she began throwing multiple new tricks, including a double full full, which greatly improved her degree of difficulty. This skill and her clutch performances helped lead the team to an aerials team podium in Beidahu, China. 

Chris Lillis was also part of the mixed aerials team event that finished second in China. This season, he finished on the individual podium three times, allowing him to finish the season ranked fifth in the World. Lillis was named to the 2025 World Championships team and earned a spot to represent the U.S. in the mixed aerials team event. Lillis, alongside Quinn Dehlinger and Kaila Kuhn, defeated the odds to become the first nation ever to win the aerials team event back to back, taking the gold medal in St. Moritz. 

After an unfortunate injury in the middle of the 2023-24 season, Quinn Dehlinger came into this year on a mission. At the Intermountain Health Freestyle International presented by Stifel in Deer Valley, Dehlinger led the entire field, encouraging the athletes to throw triples despite concerns over the weather. His determination at this event led him to the top of the podium, earning his second career win and first ever on home snow. Dehlinger was also instrumental in all of the team events this season, landing on the podium in China and helping the team win gold in St. Moritz. In the individual aerials event in St. Moritz, Dehlinger was as close to perfect as he ever had, taking the silver medal for the second time in a row. Every time Dehlinger has started at a World Championships, he has finished on the podium. 

This season, Kaila Kuhn made the transition from doubles to triples, a move that not many women make in their careers. This transition is never easy, but from throwing her first triple in competition on snow in Lake Placid to World Cup finals in Livigno, Kuhn was able to land her first triple on snow at the Olympic Test Event, finishing fourth. This timing was nothing short of perfect for Kuhn. Beyond her clutch performance in the team event to secure mixed team gold, Kuhn went on to surprise the crowd and herself in St. Moritz when she won the individual gold as well. Kuhn became the youngest American to ever win an individual gold medal at World Championships and the first to win two gold medals at the same competition. 

Ian Schoenwald competed on the World Cup circuit full-time for the first time this season, and his progress was immense. He earned two top-six finishes, and his seventh-place result in Almaty earned him a spot on the 2025 World Championships team, along with being named the 2025 FIS Rookie of the Year. At World Championships, Schoenwald finished 14th, just missing out on finals. He is knocking on the door, and is certainly a name to remember. 

This season was one of the longest competition periods that the aerials athletes have ever seen, competing up until the end of March. This posed many challenges for the team as they had to preserve their momentum, but with 16 super finals appearances and six podiums across only nine starts, this team is ready to build into next season. 

The 2024-25 season marked a defining chapter for the Stifel U.S. Freestyle Ski Team, one filled with resilience, breakthroughs, and a powerful display of what’s possible when talent meets determination. From historic Crystal Globe wins and World Championship golds to rising stars making their mark and the most domestic World Cups in decades, the team delivered one of the most successful and inspiring seasons in U.S. freestyle history. Across moguls and aerials, seasoned veterans and fresh faces alike stepped up to the world stage, raising the bar for American freestyle skiing. With the Olympic Games on the horizon, this team is not only riding the momentum of an extraordinary season but also building a legacy. 

The 2024-25 international junior competition season has officially wrapped, and the United States brought home the 2025 freestyle Marc Hodler Trophy, awarded to the nation with the best cumulative results across all FIS Junior World Championship freestyle events. This is the eighth win for the United States since 2014. The U.S. won by just seven points over the second-place nation, China, which dominated the aerials events, while the U.S. athlete shone in moguls and ski cross. 

The action began earlier this season with the freestyle moguls and aerials Junior World Championships in Almaty, Kazakhstan. In moguls, the team was led by Porter Huff, who finished fourth and Abby McLarnon, who also took fourth. On duals day, the women were on fire finishing in second, third, fourth and seventh place with Reese Chapdelaine and Abby McLarnon taking silver and bronze. The event came to a close with the dual moguls team event, where Jiah Cohen and Reese Chapdelaine (USA 2) took home gold and Anabel Ayad and Chase Littlefield (USA 3) rounded out the podium in third place. At the end of the events in Almaty, the U.S. sat second in the trophy standings behind China. 

The best junior ski cross athletes flocked to Isola, France at the beginning of April to wrap up their season with ski cross and ski cross team events. Morgan Shute continued her international tear in women's ski cross with a third-place performance, becoming the first U.S. ski cross athlete to earn a Junior World Championships medal since 2018. Her podium moving the U.S. ahead of China in the overall standings. However, the battle for the trophy wasn’t done yet, and it all came down to the ski cross team event, where the U.S. finished in ninth place to earn two points and secure the 2025 Marc Hodler Trophy. 

HIGHLIGHTS

(Hometown; Club; Date of Birth)

• Gold, dual moguls team - Reese Chapdelaine (Vail, CO; Ski & Snowboard Club Vail; 9/3/2005), Jiah Cohen (Minturn, CO; Ski & Snowboard Club Vail; 05/28/2006)
• Silver, dual moguls - Reese Chapdelaine (Vail, CO; Ski & Snowboard Club Vail; 9/3/2005)
• Bronze, dual moguls - Abby McLarnon (Steamboat Springs, CO; Ski & Snowboard Club Vail; 10/16/2006)
• Bronze, dual moguls team - Anabel Ayad (Steamboat Springs, CO; Steamboat Springs Winter Sports Club; 9/1/2005), Chase Littlefield (Yarmouth, ME; Wasatch Freestyle; 3/9/2006)
• Bronze, ski cross - Morgan Shute (Allendale, NJ; Carrabassett Valley Academy; 9/13/2006)

RESULTS

Women’s moguls
Men’s moguls

Women’s dual moguls
Men’s dual moguls

Dual moguls team

Women’s ski cross
Men’s ski cross

Ski cross team

Marc Hodler Trophy standings

The 2025 FIS Freestyle World Ski Championships came to a spectacular end with the individual aerials event, where Kaila Kuhn shocked the world, and herself to become the 2025 World Champion. Quinn Dehlinger followed it up with a silver medal, going back-to-back in the individual event. This comes just two days after their team event gold medal alongside Chris Lillis. 

The event followed the Olympic format, including an extra qualification jump and extra finals jump. In the qualification round, athletes who finished in the top six in the first jump automatically qualified for finals. Five U.S. athletes achieved this feat, allowing them to sit out the second qualification jump to save energy for finals the next day. Dehlinger led the way for the men taking the top qualification spot with a beautifully executed double full full full - his signature jump. Chris Lillis and Connor Curran also advanced from the first round, finishing in fifth and sixth, respectively. On the women’s side, Dani Loeb led the U.S. qualifying in fourth followed by Kuhn in fifth. 

Finals day brought the return of the sunshine in St. Moritz, along with off and on gusty winds that kept things interesting for the athletes. Many of the women struggled in finals on their first jump, including the U.S.. After jump one, Loeb sat in eighth and Kuhn in 10th. The women knew they would have to be on their A game to advance to the super finals. Kuhn went back to the top and threw a lay full full, and even with a slapback on the landing, was enough to earn her a spot in the super finals. Loeb finished 11th.

Dehlinger threw down one of the best jumps of his life in finals, scoring a huge 129.21, earning perfect air and landing scores. With his fantastic jump one, Dehlinger took his second jump as a mini victory lap, throwing a full full full, qualifying in first for the super finals. Lillis unfortunately was just bumped out of super finals, finishing seventh. Curran finished 10th overall. 

The women’s super finals were full of surprises, including some of the best in the world not living up to expectations. Marion Thenault of Canada was the top qualifier with a sticky full full full but she was not able to execute in the super finals, finishing fifth. This opening was all Kuhn needed to know that she could do anything she set her mind to, including winning a gold medal. Kuhn was the third athlete to go in the super finals and threw a lay full full, a trick she has only landed in competition for the first time recently. Kuhn landed the jump and went into first place with a score of 105.13. The athletes left to go were the best of the best, but no matter what they did, they were unable to dethrone Kuhn, earning her first individual World Championships podium and win. 

“This is the biggest surprise; I couldn’t be happier,” said Kuhn. “It has been kind of a rough season for me transitioning to triples, and this couldn’t be better icing on the cake. I trained that trick [lay full full] all summer, and I decided to put it down when it counted, so I’m super excited.” 

As he was the top qualifier, Dehlinger was the last athlete of the day to drop. Right before him was Noe Roth, who as a Swiss athlete, was determined to put on a show for the home crowd. Roth threw a double full double full full and executed it perfectly, beating the all-time score record for that trick with a 143.31. Dehlinger dropped in ready to throw a double full full full. It was a jump that the U.S. will remember forever, as he secured his second individual World Championships silver medal. Every time Dehlinger has started at a World Championships, he has finished on the podium. Kuhn’s win and Dehlinger’s silver mark the best individual results for the U.S. since 2017, when Ashley Caldwell and Jonathan Lillis swept the wins in Sierra Nevada. 

At the 2025 FIS Freestyle World Championships in St. Moritz, the Stifel U.S. Ski Team became the first country to ever win back-to-back World Championship team medals.

An air of confidence fell over the jumps in St. Moritz as the U.S. went to bat for their second aerials team World Championship title in a row. Kaila Kuhn, Quinn Dehlinger and Chris Lillis had a cool, but calm mentality as they looked onward towards the kickers as the other nations took their final training jumps. 

Kuhn started things off for the U.S. in the round of eight, throwing a lay full full - a trick that she has only performed a handful of times. Her air was beautiful with a small bobble on the landing, and earned a great score to put the U.S. into the lead, a position they never lost. Dehlinger and Lillis both threw double full full fulls in the qualification round with near perfect execution to qualify for the super finals in the top spot with 322.6 points - 33 points ahead of second place Australia. In a surprising turn of events, China, an aerials powerhouse, did not qualify into the super finals after a few missed landings, finishing in sixth place. 

As the U.S. qualified in the top spot, each U.S. athlete would be the last to drop in their respective round. Kuhn watched from above as the top women put down great jumps, but knew exactly what she needed to do to set the team up for success. Kuhn once again threw a lay full full and this time, landed it perfectly - the first time she has successfully landed this trick in competition. With a score of 100.29, she did exactly what she needed to do.

Then it was time for the men to do their jobs. Dehlinger was next up for the U.S., throwing the ‘daddy’ once again and improved on his first round score by more than two points. The team sat in first place as the third athlete per country prepared to go. After a few excellent jumps, the pressure all sat on the shoulders of Lillis as the last athlete to drop in the entire competition. He needed to execute to secure his second World Championship gold - both for him and for his team. He dropped in and everything aligned, his air, form and landing were excellent - earning a humongous score of 125.34, to win the event by 32 points. The team rushed the finish area after Lillis’ jump and - living up to their infamous bowling celebration from Changchun last year - celebrated with a home run. 

“This is my first team event competing with these two, and I was so happy to put that triple to my feet,” said Kuhn.

“It’s the first one of that trick that I have landed, so I am so excited,” Dehlinger said. “I was at the top talking to myself saying ‘hit a takeoff, look at the ground, land it and let the judges do the rest.'”

When asked about how he was able to perform under pressure, Lillis said “I can’t let my team down! Kaila, I’ve been watching her grow up, and just go through triples, Quinn is kind of like a little brother to me, and I’ve had such a fun time growing with him, I just knew I couldn’t let them down. I’ve been in these moments before in the Olympics and the previous World Championships, and did what I had to do, and I’m just happy to execute.”  

“I think the idea for the [baseball celebration] was born in Lake Placid,” said Lillis. “It was one of the few team events where we underperformed as a team and just didn’t get it done, so we weren’t able to use that celebration, so it’s good to get that out of the tank.”

In two days, the team will be back in action for the individual aerials event, starting with qualification on Saturday, March 29, followed by finals on March 30. Tune in to watch on skiandsnowboard.live. 

RESULTS

A season of highs and lows, successes, failures, and records culminated at the dual moguls event at World Championships when Jaelin Kauf and Tess Johnson defied the odds to finish first and second overall. This is the first time the U.S. has ever gone one-two at World Championships in dual moguls.  

“It feels incredible, especially after singles - a little bit of redemption out here for duals, and it’s been an awesome day skiing against some really strong women and against Tess,” said Kauf. “I was really hoping for a sweep there with Kylie, but our whole team is crushing it, and it’s super awesome to get two of us on the podium today.”  

An overnight freeze and cloudy conditions made for a moguls skier’s nightmare: hard, frozen bumps. The first few rounds of the qualification round were dicey as spectators watched at least one athlete ski out in almost every dual. Despite a few bobbles, the Stifel U.S. Ski Team athletes took their qualification duals in stride, and seven advanced into the finals round of 16. 

In the 1/8th final, Kylie Kariotis took out 2025 moguls World Championship bronze medalist Maia Schwinghammer (CAN), in what would turn out to be the first of a string of incredible duals from the rookie. Kasey Hogg prevailed against Hinako Tomitaka (JPN). All four U.S. women advanced to the quarter-finals along with Charlie Mickel, who won his dual against Rasmus Stegfeldt of Sweden. Nick Page finished the day 14th and Dylan Walczyk in 16th. 

The women’s dual placement couldn’t have been better for the U.S., as no U.S. women would have to go head-to-head until the semi-finals. Jaelin Kauf, Kariotis, and Johnson advanced into the semifinals, meaning they would all have the chance to battle it out for a medal. In the quarter-finals, Johnson took on multi-time World Champion Perrine Laffont from France and, with an exciting outcome, won the dual by one point to advance to the semifinals. Hogg finished the day sixth, tying her dual moguls personal best. Mickel landed in seventh. 

“Perrine Laffont is the World Champion, she just won two days ago so when I was able to beat her just by one point I knew that I could win gold if I wanted,” said Johnson. “I’m just really proud of how I skied today it’s been an incredible season and to end it with a silver at World Champs is kind of a dream come true.”

In semifinal one, Kauf and Kariotis battled it out, and Kauf was untouchable, winning the dual 23 to 12, sending her to the big final and Kariotis to the small final. Johnson went up against Anastassiya Gorodko of Kazakhstan, who has been on fire all season. Despite her success, Johnson was cleaner and quicker through the bumps, putting herself into gold/silver medal contention. 

In the small final, Kariotis met Gorodko in only her second small final appearance of her career. Kariotis kept things close, but ultimately, Gorodko prevailed, and Kariotis finished fourth. 

All eyes and ears in the vicinity of the course were turned to the bumps for the women’s big final, where Johnson and Kauf were set to battle it out for the gold medal. Despite a few mistakes across both athletes, Kauf turned on the gas in the mid-section of the course. Her speed, along with jumps, made her untouchable throughout the day, and the big final was no exception. Kauf took the gold medal alongside teammate Johnson with the silver, the best World Championship result for both athletes. These results mark the best finish for the U.S. in World Championship dual moguls history. 

“Kylie was so close to that bronze medal, and I know it’s coming for her; she is an incredible skier, and she has had an amazing season. We really wanted it [a podium sweep] today, but I know that it is going to come eventually, and I am just really proud of our entire team, the men included, our staff included; it’s been one heck of a season,” said Johnson. When asked what the secret is to the team’s success, she said, “working hard and having fun.” 

As the men finished their final round, Kauf was given the coveted gold '2025 World Champion' bib to wear for the award ceremony, and the crowd roared. Kauf and Johnson went around the spectator area, giving hugs to the many friends and family who had come all the way to Switzerland to support them, and everyone could feel that dreams had come true that day. 

RESULTS
Women
Men